This invention relates generally to golf and more particularly to a golf club accessory for use in the retrieval of a golf tee.
The game of golf is an immensely popular sporting activity played throughout the world. In the most simplified form, the game is played on a golf course consisting of eighteen holes, each hole having a tee, a fairway, and a putting green. A skill is required by avoiding sand traps, water hazards, and roughs. The premise of the game requires ball control for purposes of completing a round of golf in as few strokes as possible. The game of golf employs the use of various clubs that provide the golfer with tools to control distances that a golf ball is advanced. For instance, when a golfer puts a ball into play for a particular hole, the golfer must strike the ball from a tee surface in hopes of placing the ball within a hole located on a distant putting green. If the length of distance between the tee surface and the putting green is long, the golfer may typically employ a club historically called a xe2x80x9cwoodxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdriverxe2x80x9d to project the ball as far as possible toward the putting green. The rules of the game allow the golfer to place the golf ball upon a golf ball tee for this initial tee off. The golf ball tee may be used on each of the eighteen holes.
Unique to the game of golf is the ability for any age individual to compete and enjoy the game. The use of a handicap system allows an individual, despite their ability and skill to compete with fellow golfers. In light of this, elderly persons and those with minor physical ailments can fully enjoy and compete in the game, even if they have difficulty in bending over which is a necessary function for placement and retrieval of golf balls and golf tees. For instance, once a golfer has hit a golf ball from the tee, the need to retrieve the golf ball tee is required. However, many individuals are too lazy or simply choose not to bend over due to the inconvenience or physical limitations. The result is discarded golf tees laying on the tee playing surface. This leaves an unsightly playing surface and can be hazardous to maintenance people and equipment, for example mowers which are employed to provide a short grass on the tee surface.
If an aluminum tee is used, the discarded tee can actually damage reel mowers. Typically the tees are very inexpensive and if the tee is not in a convenient position to pick-up, the tee is abandoned by the golfer. Further, very seldom will a golfer pick-up a spent tee left by another golfer.
For these reasons there exists a need for a low cost device that will assist a golfer in the retrieval of a golf tee, and make it so convenient that they may pick up other discarded tees.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,150 discloses a golf tee retrieval system consisting of a hook and loop system coupled to a golf tee and the end of the shaft of a golfclub. The inventor employs the hook and loop system by placing a piece of the xe2x80x9cVelcroxe2x80x9d on the tee and the mating portion on the end of the golfclub shaft. A golfer would utilize the golfclub in its ordinary and conventional manner and after striking a golf ball would invert the golfclub and press the hook and loop system together for purposes of retrieving the golf tee. A disadvantage to such a system is that the golf tee is typically laying on its side and thus the placement of the hook and loop on the end of a tee makes it impractical for ball retrieval. In addition, placing of the material on top of the tee can offset the golf ball wherein even a wind could cause the golf ball to become dislodged from the tee.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,154,989 discloses an attachment for golf clubs that sits on the end of a golf club shaft and employs semi-circular hoops for purposes for engaging the golf tee. This device requires the golfer to manipulate the tee through the holes requiring a developed skill in order to use the golf tee retrieval.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,121 discloses an apparatus for positioning and retrieving of golf balls and tees. This invention employs a separate apparatus that is used independent of a golf club thus requiring additional items to be placed in a golf club bag. In addition, this device uses an elaborate retrieval having mechanical parts that can be easily damaged by placement in a bag especially should the bags be filled with graphite shafts easily scratched or otherwise damaged when unrelated items are placed into the golfbag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,947 discloses yet another golf ball teeing device which further allows for retrieval of a golf tee if the golf tee remains in an upright position. This item would be impractical for most golfers that drive a golf ball because the tee is laying in a horizontal position. In addition this requires the use of a separate utensil again placed within a golf bag.
The present invention satisfies this need through provision of a golf club accessory device that is used in combination with a golf club. The device has a base with a top side surface and a bottom side surface. The top side surface has at least two spaced-apart flexible members used for capturing a golf tee. The base is secured to the handle end of a golf club shaft whereby the golf club can be used for its intended purpose of striking a golf ball from a tee. The accessory device or flexible fingers may be molded, mounted or otherwise incorporated into the grip of the golf club. The flexible members are used to retrieve a golf ball tee by inverting the golf club shaft, allowing the shaft to operate as an arm extension allowing tee retrieval without the need for the golfer to bend over.
It is an objective of the invention to provide a golf tee retrieval device that is easy and economical to use in conjunction with a conventional golf club which will facilitate the retrieval of a golf tee when laying on the ground.
Another objective of the instant invention is to disclose a golf club accessory that is inexpensive and can be readily discarded after excessive use.
Still another objective of the instant invention is to make the retrieval of golf tees more simplistic whereby an individual would be more likely to pick up golf tees discarded by other golfers.
Still another objective of the instant invention is to provide a golf club accessory that does not inhibit the use of a golf club in its ordinary and conventional manner and further provides a spacer when placed in a golf bag to prevent moisture or other debris from attaching to the end of the golf club grip thereby preventing the golfer""s hand from touching items that may have otherwise contacted the tip of the handgrip.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.